Cooler



May 10, 1938. T, POWERS 2,116,711

COOLER Filed Sept. 29, 1936 Frank T ou/ars.

' INVENTOR A ORNEY Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COOLER Frank T. Powers, Glen Cove, N. Y.

Application September 29, 1936, Serial No. 103,084

2 Claims. (01. 62-11 1 My invention relates to the art of photo engraving and more particularly to a device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates during the process of etching.

5 The objects of my invention are to provide an apparatus of improved working qualities, free from some of the short-comings and defects present in apparatus heretofore used for this purpose.

To accomplish these and other objects, which will in part be mentioned hereinafter, part will be obvious from the following description and part may be learned by practice with the invention by one skilled in the art. I have invented a device of Which the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention.

The drawing shows one embodiment of the invention which is given as an example but is not to be taken as restrictive thereto as variations in structure may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. It will be obvious, for example, that the foot operated air pump, described and shown in the drawing, may be replaced by a hand operated pump, or that air under pressure may be supplied from any available source, without depart ing from the spirit of the invention.

The drawing shows a vertical section of the device near a center line.

In the drawing I is a tray of suitable material such as metal which is supported by a frame consisting of four legs 2 and a cross brace 3. At-

tached to said tray is an air pump comprising a cylinder 4, within which a piston 5, having a cup washer 6 attached to its upper surface, is adapted to be moved vertically by means of a piston rod 1 actuated by a foot pedal lever 8,

the fulcrum 9 of which is attached to the cross brace 3. The piston rod is guided in its motion by an opening in the pipe cap 10 on a short nipple H screwed into an opening in cross brace 3, a collar 12 pinned to rod 1 is so positioned on the rod 1 as to properly limit the downward travel of the piston 5.

The piston 5 has one or more ports l3 covered with flexible flaps 14 to permit ingress of air as the piston is lowered from an upper position to a lower position and to prevent escape of air through the ports when the piston is moved upwardly.

Attached to the top of cylinder 4 is a pipe riser 55 I5 providing egress for air when the piston 5 is raised, and permitting ingress of air when it is lowered.

Within the tray 1, and attached to the top of cylinder 4, is a cylindrical chamber 16 having ports I! in its side covered by flexible flaps l8 permitting ingress of water from tray 1 Whenever the pressure is greater on the outside of chamber 16 than it is within, and preventing movement of water through the ports in the opposite direction. Chamber I6 is divided into two compartments I61; and I612 by a partition 23, the lower compartment 16a of the chamber being markedly larger than the upper compartment I61).

Attached to the partition 23 of chamber 16 is a tube I9 permitting egress of water from chamber l6a into compartment lab. Above chamber I61), and attached to flange 20 is a stage 2| for supporting the plate to be cooled, which has perforations 22 in that area which is within the flange. The stage 2| is smaller than the tray I.

The method of operation of the machine is as follows: The tray is filled with water approximately to the level indicated by the dotted line 24 and enters the lower compartment of chamber 16 through ports I! until the water level is the same within the chamber 16 as in the tray I.

A photoengraving plate, or other object to be cooled, is placed upon the stage 2| with its central portion over the perforations 22, pedal 8 is pressed by the foot of the operator which moves rod 1 and piston head 5 upward, forcing air thru the pipe 15 into the lower compartment of chamber 16. When the air pressure in chamber [6, in the space above the water reaches a sufficient amount, the water is forced upward through tube I9 into the upper compartment of chamber l6 until it is filled and fluid then emerges through perforations 22 in stage 2|, and against the under side of the plate being cooled, which is reposing thereon.

The force of the water upward slightly elevates the plate being cooled above the perforated stage 21 and cooling fluid flows outwardly from the center toward the edges of stage, cooling said plate rapidly and evenly. Even though the plate being cooled may be somewhat buckled, warped or bent, as it sometimes is, and consequently does not lie flat and in contact throughout its area with the perforated stage 2|, the volume of water rushing through the perforations 22 is sufficient to reach and cool the entire plate almost instantly.

Upon the downward or return stroke of the piston 5, air is admitted to the cylinder 4 through the ports l3 and also from chamber l6 through pipe riser l5 as the water from tray l enters chamber through ports I! displacing the air therein.

If necessary several successive strokes of the piston 5 may be used to force the desired quantity of water through the perforations 22.

Having described my invention I now state what I believe to be new and novel and for which I pray that Letters Patent be granted.

Iclaim:

1. In a device for cooling photo-rmechanical printing plates in the process of etching such plates, the combination of a receptacle for a cooling fluid, a double chamber having check valvesd adapted to admit cooling fluid from said recep-- tacle into the lower compartment of said chamher, a tubular passage from the lower portion of the lower compartment of said chamber to thev upper compartment thereof, a perforated stage" forming the cover of the upper compartment .of said chamber, means for discharging air under pressure into the lower compartment thereby displacing cooling fluid in said compartment and causing said fluid to flow into said upper compartment and out through the perforations in said stage and against the under side of a plate to be cooled reposing thereon.

2. A device for cooling photo-mechanical printing plates in the process of etching such plates, the combination of a receptacle for cooling fluid, a double chamber having upper and lower compartments within said receptacle, having check valves adapted to admit cooling fluid from said receptacle into the lower compartment of said chamber, a tubular passage from the lower portion of 'the lower-compartment of said chamber to the'upper compartment thereof, a.

perforated stage forming the cover of the upper compartment of said chamber, and an air pump adjacent to and communicating with said lower compartment of said chamber, whereby air :p'erforations'in said stage and against'the underside-of a plate to be cooled reposing thereon.

- FRANK I 'i POWERS. 

